托福口语 Task 4

Today we're going to talk about a fascinating behavior in the animal kingdom called 'mimicry'. Now, mimicry isn't just about looking like something else; it's a survival strategy. Some animals use it to trick predators or prey, and this can take two main forms: defensive mimicry and aggressive mimicry. Let me give you two examples. First, consider the monarch butterfly. It's toxic to birds because it eats milkweed, which contains a poison. The viceroy butterfly, however, is not toxic, but it has evolved to look almost identical to the monarch. Birds that have learned to avoid the monarch also avoid the viceroy, giving the viceroy protection. This is defensive mimicry—imitating a dangerous species to avoid being eaten. Second, think of the anglerfish. It lives in the dark depths of the ocean and has a glowing lure that dangles in front of its mouth. This lure mimics a small, tasty worm, attracting smaller fish. When a curious fish comes close to inspect the 'worm', the anglerfish snaps it up. This is aggressive mimicry—imitating something attractive to lure in prey. So, while both types of mimicry involve imitation, they serve opposite purposes: one for protection, the other for predation.